Wednesday, February 20, 2008

I beg of you – make one of these recipes. Or go wild and make both. You won’t be sorry, I promise.

Fresh asparagus are something quite new to me – I don’t ever recall seeing them in supermarkets when I was younger. But ever since I spotted them for the first time there was no turning back – I became a huge fan. In my humble opinion, fresh asparagus will taste great no matter how you make them – I especially love them in risottos – but pair them with olive oil, black pepper and parmesan and you’ve got yourself an addictive combination.

As for the potato salad… I’ll tell you that it’s another recipe from the show “Jamie at home” and I know you’ll be convinced of how good it is. I would never have thought that a simple potato salad could be so delicious – and it tasted even better the next day.

Jamie used lemons for the salad, but I used limes instead; since I’m making this again about 184 times, I’ll try it with lemons too.

This is my entry for the Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Lia from Swirling Notions.

Preheat the oven to 230ºC/450ºF. Trim the tough ends from the asparagus.
On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with the cheese.
Roast until the asparagus is tender and the cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until they’re tender but not too soft; drain.
Place the olive oil, lime zest and juice in a large bowl and mix well. Add the potatoes while they’re still hot, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add the capers.
Add the parsley after the potatoes are cool. Mix well and serve.

I don't remember growing up with asparagus either, but I think it's because my parents didn't grow it in the garden, and the only fresh veggies we ate were from the garden. Otherwise, they came in a can. These both look amazing and I will be bookmarking both!

Asparagus roasted, or cooked on the grill, is my absolutely favorite vegetable. I like to let them cool slightly and add them to salads, or use as a kind of garnish for risotto. The potato recipe looks great, too.

A Martha recipe that works? Wow! I love asparagus but we usually eat the white ones here, fresh, season is almost there (May/June). Lately I think I appreciate the nutty taste of the green ones more, especially when roasted or stir fried.

I love asparagus too. It is quite expensive in Singapore, but during the peak of the season in Sydney, i can get a bunch for just 99cents. That's when I eat it almost everyday, so much so that my partner has protested ha ha.

Mark, I am! Isn't the show wonderful? I can't wait to watch a new episode next Saturday. :)

Peter, I like the idea of using mustard.

Sarah, thank you! I must confess I have made these and eaten them with crusty bread and wine - I was good to go!I don't like potato salads with mayo, either - and they're huge here in Sao Paulo. I think you'll like this one!

Hi, sweetie! Thank you!

Deb, fresh veggies from the garden? That is so nice, my friend!

Sarah, I love his food, too, and I don't know why it took me so long to start cooking his recipes!

Lydia, I'm glad you like these, my dear.

Kate, let me know if you like the salad, sweetie.

Bri, I like the idea of using balsamic vinegar, I love that stuff! :)

Joy, you are so right, they are easy!

Sally, I hope you give this recipe a try.

Hi, sweetie! I love Martha... :)

Kevin, I really like the touch given here by the cheese.

Amy, his recipes are so good!

Jaime, my husband didn't like it either until I started making this recipe - now, I have to watch my back otherwise there will be none left for me! :)

Nora, they are not cheap here either, my friend. But sometimes I'm willing to splurge. :)

I make asparagus like this too, and it's fantastic. Not sure where I got the idea. It was not from Jamie though because I don't have a single one of his books, and I'm not sure why because I love him on TV.